The points of issue
True first is the paperback original, Regency Books RB 110 (1963). Paperback wraps; no prior hardcover. Regency Books imprint (the Chicago imprint associated with editor Harlan Ellison) and the RB 110 number identify the first.
Is this the true first?
Paperback is the true first. Reissued later (e.g., by Berkley and tie-in editions after the 1990 film); those are reprints/first-thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The 1963 Regency RB 110 wraps are the first; movie tie-in and modern paperbacks postdate the 1990 film and are clearly later.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Grifters a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the paperback original, Regency Books RB 110 (1963). Paperback wraps; no prior hardcover. Regency Books imprint (the Chicago imprint associated with editor Harlan Ellison) and the RB 110 number identify the first.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. Paperback is the true first. Reissued later (e.g., by Berkley and tie-in editions after the 1990 film); those are reprints/first-thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The 1963 Regency RB 110 wraps are the first; movie tie-in and modern paperbacks postdate the 1990 film and are clearly later.
I have a first edition of The Grifters — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.